


picture of perfect youth

by clayisforgirls



Series: brownieverse [5]
Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-09 16:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4356983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clayisforgirls/pseuds/clayisforgirls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"the thought makes his stomach turn, can't imagine being without Mardy now, not getting to kiss him anymore, not having him as his boyfriend"</p><p>Originally posted in April 2006.</p>
            </blockquote>





	picture of perfect youth

Andy's smiling as he climbs out of the car, grabbing his bag and heading into the house. Another school week is over, and that thought brings a smile to his face. Because the weekends mean Mardy, watching movies in his room and kissing and sometimes a trip to the movies, hiding in the back row and making out like the teenagers they are. He loves weekends more than anything else, apart from the homework that needs to be done before Monday, but even that isn't so bad anymore, not when he has Mardy to do it with him and more often than not distract him.

Maybe that's slightly more his fault than Mardy's, but he's still blaming his boyfriend, his gorgeous boyfriend, with perfect eyes and that mouth that can make him scream.

Usually Friday afternoons mean boredom until Mardy gets home an hour later, Andy hating that extra class he has, but when he does there's giggles and blowjobs, sometimes sex but they're too careful to do too much of that, knowing exactly when his mom will be home and by the time she does they're always on the couch in the living room, watching something on television with that hint of flush to their skin.

He doesn't notice the other car in the driveway as he opens the front door, and it's a shock when he's face to face with his mother three steps later, door shutting behind him, because she's never home when he gets back. There's a nagging thought that she wants to keep an eye on them when Mardy gets home, because he already knows she saw them last night, curled together on the bed, far too close for friends and he's really glad they were still dressed. Really, really glad because he doesn't want his mother to know that they've been doing a whole lot more than just sleeping together.

"Andy, can I talk to you?"

"Can it wait until Mardy gets home?" he asks, hopeful that he'll at least have some back-up, but she shakes her head.

"I'd prefer to talk to you alone first, Andy."

The tone is final and he knows it's no good arguing with her like this, he inherited his stubbornness from her but he can't ever combat it with his own. More often than not arguing leads to him not getting his own way about anything and so he follows her into the kitchen, surprisingly fitting to talk about him and Mardy.

It was really where it had all started, sticky brownie mixture across pale skin, fumbled kisses against the counter.

"Would you like to tell me what's going on between you and Mardy?" she asks after he's sitting, tapping his fingers on the marble table and he knows that tone too well to refuse. Even though he really doesn't want to say, because even though he's almost certain his own parents won't care he's gay - though they'd probably preferred him to be straight and settle down with some pretty girl - Mardy's parents are a different story. They're both homophobic, he's been around them enough to know they'll probably kick Mardy to the kerb.

Although, maybe his parents would let Mardy stay for another year if they did that.

"I'm sure you can work it out, mom," and he gets a look for that, should have realised that his mouth was going to get him into trouble at least once during the conversation. He just wouldn't have expected it to be so soon, and so he tries again. "I mean, you saw us last night. We're just..."

"What? 'Fooling around' together? Because I don't-"

"No," he interrupts, horrified that she would even think that, "he's my best friend. I wouldn't risk that for anything, mom. He's just... he's... I adore him."

He's blushing and he knows it, can't even bring himself to look at her right now. More than anything he hates this, having to explain that he's dating Mardy - just without the actual dating part - his best friend and someone she invited into her home. The thought occurs that maybe she'll kick Mardy out, doesn't want her youngest son corrupted by his best friend, but he doesn't think she's quite as cold hearted as that because Mardy's part of the family now. He was even before he moved in, when John started coaching them both, when Andy was barely fifteen and Mardy was dating a girl for the first time, and Andy missed his best friend.

It had eventually prompted Andy to realise Mardy was more than a friend, had caused him to kiss Mardy in the kitchen when he'd been sure that Mardy really liked him too. And thankfully it had turned out okay, he'd been right about Mardy, and for once he hadn't fucked anything up in the process.

"Why didn't you tell us, Andy?"

"I thought... maybe you'd kick Mardy out, and I didn't want that. Or tell me that I couldn't see Mardy anymore or-"

And that's it, her eyes drift to the floor and that's what she's going to ask him to do, to break up with Mardy. Even the thought makes his stomach turn, can't imagine being without Mardy now, not getting to kiss him anymore, not having him as his boyfriend, just going back to being friends.

He's not sure that would even be possible. He's too in love with Mardy just to be friends again.

"Mom... no. You always said I could bring a girlfriend home when I got one... and Mardy isn't a girl but it's the same thing. Sort of."

"If you had a girlfriend she wouldn't be living under this roof, Andy. I'm not going to make Mardy leave but I don't like the idea of you two living here and... dating."

There's a pause while he thinks about it, he's not going to break up with Mardy, no matter how much she asks him too. He loves the fact it's not because Mardy's a boy, loves his mom for accepting him and not being completely homophobic but he still doesn't know how to fix it. Mardy's as addictive as chocolate, always craving more but he's as necessary as air too, even a few days spent apart making him feel as though he's missing something.

So, he decides to solve it the only way he knows how - with brutal honesty - and hopes that his mom will love that, will accept that he's not going to break up with Mardy. Because the only other answer is sneaking around and he doesn't really want to do that, doesn't want to lie to her, not anymore.

"I love him, mom; you must know how that feels. And no matter how much you ask or want me too...I won't - I can't - break up with Mardy. He's... he's what I've always wanted."

"Andy, you don't know what you want. You're only sixteen, and you change your mind about things every three seconds. What happens when you go to college-"

"We'll find a way to make it work. You know me, I'm persistent," and he carries on as that gets a smile. "I'm not going to give him up just because I might go to college away from him. And, didn't you start dating dad at sixteen? Did your parents ever tell you that you didn't know what you wanted?"

Score one for Andy, he thinks, because he can see she's thinking, knowing that he's right and he pushes down the smug smile, knowing that he can use it on Mardy later but he's finally getting somewhere. He doesn't want to ruin it now.

"There's still the problem of you both living here," she says softly, and he smiles, relaxing a little because he can tell she's warming to it, isn't going to be quite as strict or harsh. At least he hopes so. "Maybe... if you agree to being monitored. I don't want you two having sex."

"Mom," he says, drawing the word out, blushing because he doesn't even want his mother to mention sex, it's too weird. "But we won't."

Though he mentally adds 'at least not while you're in the house', because sex with Mardy is too good to give up, too completely perfect when Mardy's writhing beneath him, flushed and begging him for more.

"And I don't want you two having movie nights in your room anymore. Or doing your homework together in there. If you really have to do it together, then you can use the family room."

"But mom..."

It comes out as a whine and he winces when he hears himself, knowing that it's not going to score any points with his mom, because whining never does, she's one of the only people immune to it. Even his dad can't resist when he whines, it's just his mother, and now Mardy most of the time but he has ways round him, ways which are much more fun. He doesn't have anything to convince her and then he's pouting because he loves movie nights and doesn't want to give them up.

"Whining isn't going to get you anywhere, honey. I'm sorry, but-"

"Can't we at least have movie nights in the family room?" he asks, not expecting anything other than a no but at least he's asked, doesn't want to never know what she would have said because she's already taken away most of his Mardy time. They still have school where they're hiding too, kisses snatched when no one else is around, after tennis practise in the showers, but the times are rare, because when they're around their other friends they're just friends.

Nothing more, nothing less, and there are times when he craves Mardy, when he needs to be touching him and they'll shift so they're closer, shoulders pressing against each other at lunch and as they walk between classes. Sometimes he wishes that one of them was a girl, so they could do normal couple-y things like go on real dates and tell their friends, but there are so many reasons that this way is better, because Mardy gets him more than anyone else, and definitely more than any girl.

And he knows his mom would have no problem with Andy and a girlfriend having movie nights in the family room - though his bedroom would still probably be off-limits - and hopes she'll be the same with him and Mardy.

"As long as you don't mine me or your dad checking on you, you can have movie nights there," she says after a few moments, a little reluctantly. "I can't stop you spending time with Mardy but I don't want you two upstairs by yourself."

"Okay, mom," and he smiles, because he's so glad she's at least letting them have that, sure that most parents wouldn't even want their son to have a boyfriend. "We done?"

"You can go watch television now, Andy, yes," she says with a smile, and he nods, standing, taking a step towards the door before he goes over to her and kisses her cheek, giving her a smile in return.

"Thanks. When Mardy gets home tell him I'm-"

"In the family room."

"Yeah. Love you, mom."

"I know," she says, and ruffles his hair, and he squirms, laughing. "Put your bags away first."

There's no arguing and he does so, trailing upstairs with his schoolbags, changing from his uniform into jeans and a t-shirt, washing his face before he heads downstairs again, and turns the television onto cartoon, something Mardy will roll his eyes at when he gets home but until then there's no arguing from anyone.

He can hear Mardy enter the house but he's too lazy to move, the couch comfy now that he's relaxed and stretched out, can hear his mom talking to him, can hear him go upstairs and then come back down and he grins when he sees Mardy in the doorway. In seconds Mardy's shoved his feet off the couch and curled up next to him, head resting on his shoulder and he presses a kiss to Mardy's cheek.

"She take it okay?" Mardy asks after a few moment, and Andy nods, cuddling closer, no longer having to worry about who sees them like this and it's nice, knowing that his parents aren't going to get a shock if they walk in on them.

"Yeah. She did. Didn't threaten to kick you out or anything," and the tone is almost teasing but the worry that she might have done is still there.

"I love your parents," Mardy says softly, shutting his eyes as Andy's hand runs through his hair.

"Me too, Mar," he says, grinning. "Gonna cope without sex for a while?"

He doesn't get a real reply, just a half nod and a kiss from Mardy, one that he accepts gratefully because they're still together; Mardy curled at his side is proof enough that they'll be okay while they're still both living here. Hopefully after Mardy moves back home too, though it won't be the same. But they're going to make it work. They have to.

Because he's not giving Mardy up. Not now, not ever.

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from "Picture of Perfect Youth" by Feeder.


End file.
